The Holy Sword Responds to Emotions

Getting sucked into the infinity again was a different experience from the first time. There was no pain or white landscape, instead, it was instant darkness followed by a frigid plunge.

Into a lake.

Dixie struggled with the cold water more than Bonnie. She did not have Alexander's strong body to help her endure. Felicia had gained some weight, but it was not nearly enough to handle this. Dixie felt as if the cold water had seeped into her bones, causing her to get lightheaded. 

"Bonnie! Bonnie!"

A large muscular arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her up. "Relax, girl. I'm here. Hold onto me."

Bonnie swam at a fast pace and got them to the edge of the lake, which consisted of a rocky bank. Standing up, both women shivered and looked around in bewilderment.

"Where are we? Why did that symbol bring us here?"

"I don't know. I think it was because we were about to be discovered." Bonnie suddenly saw that the holy sword was lying near them. Standing tall against a boulder.

Dixie shivered uncontrollably as they headed towards it. The infinity symbol was no longer glowing, but the blade was radiating heat. The moment they touched it a warmth spread throughout their bodies. 

"Oh my god!" Dixie signed in relief. "This sword definitely has a mind of it's own. It's actually responding to our emotions! We were in a panic when we almost got caught so it brought us to another location and now it can sense we're cold." 

Bonnie placed the sword flat and they sat down beside it. Dixie pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on it. The sword was still hot. Almost like a heater. The magic was soothing as much as it was warming.

Bonnie ran her fingers along the inscriptions. "This writing, it's in Hebrew. I can actually understand it. I think this is a part of my abilities as a Guardian."

Dixie tilted her head. "I can read it too, but I don't remember any instance where Felicia and Alex were learning different languages. Let alone, Hebrew."

"We both have holy magic and this is the holy sword. Naturally, we can read the inscription Goddess Kartara carved into it. I don't know if this is our ability or if it was something Alex and Felicia could do but simply never discovered." Bonnie hypothesized. 

"I don't know how much longer we'll be able to draw a distinction between us and them, Bonnie. I get the sense that it's only a matter of time before we become them completely." Dixie replied, worriedly. "It's a scary thought."

"Yeah..." Bonnie felt bereft. In some ways she already felt as if her own life was a distant memory. She felt as if she hadn't seen her father in decades rather than years. "Let's not dwell on that. One step at a time and we will get through this."

Dixie shivered. She had to get out of these wet clothes before the weak ass Felicia got sick. If she was in her own body it wouldn't be such a big deal, but now she had to be mindful of everything. Felicia was simply too fragile to function at 100%.

"Can we use the sword to go back to the manor?"

"I think so we...."

"We have to read the inscription together, out loud." They spoke in unison.

Bonnie tilted the sword up and spun the blade around. "Which part do we recite?"

"I don't know, I don't think it really matters. Pick any."

"You know you hope you know where this light will take you. But it doesn't matter. Because the infinity will always take two. And you will never be alone."

As soon as they were done speaking, the symbol came alive and wrapped them together. This time they felt zero fear and confusion. Instead, they smiled in amusement and welcomed the magic.

What a strange way of travelling.

The journey was longer this time, maybe because they weren't in a panic. They floated around in deep space before seeing their destination.

The infinity symbol reformed out of thin air before dropping them, each through one hoop. Thankfully, they landed in the thickness of the pine trees situated next to the training grounds of the Del Montague manor. Nobody saw the light.

They cautiously stepped out of the greenery after ensuring the coast was clear and walked towards the manor.

The sound of horses filled their ears as they opened the gate which led them past the armory shed before entering the large clearing where the knights who served the Del Montague family jousted.

The layout of the training field was that of a golf field. To the left was the archery and on the right was a circular running track made of asphalt and sand.

Dixie suddenly remembered: she needs to start training right away. Rather than just putting on weight, she should be building endurance at the same time. If she spent 2-3 hours every single day running laps and learning swordsmanship, that would definitely help her immune system.

Exercise was chemically proven to be good for both body and mind. She needed to release some of the anxiety she felt. Becoming combative would certainly make her confidence soar.

The sun's position revealed that a few hours had passed since they left the church. Damn! It felt like 5 minutes at most. Did the infinity slow down their flow of time? For what purpose?

Over a 100 knights were training and it was very noisy. The sounds of shouts and grunts mixed in with the clashes of swords. They could even make out the faint whoosh of arrows hitting their targets.

The sisters went unnoticed for the most part, but some of the men halted mid-swing when they spotted the Young Master and Lady taking a circuitous route.

Placing a hand on the chest, they bowed and greeted the siblings. Bonnie and Dixie didn't respond. They were eager to get out of their wet clothes and hop into a warm bath. That lake water had been freezing!

As they made their way inside, looking like two drowned rats the servants huddled around them.

"Young Master! Lady Felicia! What has happened? Duchess Tyren just sent another carriage to retrieve the two of you from the Cathedral."

Bonnie handed her sister over to two maids. "Nothing happened. We took another route home and accidentally fell into a lake. Prepare a bath for her, immediately!"